Key Takeaways
- Lionel Richie is home and “doing great” after dehydration prompted a three-day hospital stay that included ICU care and cardiac testing.
- The 77-year-old completed his St. Louis concert but finished “All Night Long” seated, months after dizziness forced him to cut short a Minnesota show.
- Richie has more than three weeks to recover before his next scheduled tour date in San Francisco on Sept. 26.
Lionel Richie is back home and “doing great” after spending three days in the hospital, including time in the ICU, following his latest health scare on tour. The 77-year-old singer has returned to Los Angeles after doctors performed cardiac testing, bringing a reassuring end to a hospitalization that began after his concert in St. Louis.
Per People, Richie checked himself into the hospital after the August 29 show “out of an abundance of caution” while dealing with dehydration. What initially appeared to be a precautionary visit became a three-day hospital stay, with the Grammy winner admitted to the ICU while doctors ran tests on his heart. He was expected to fly home Wednesday, September 2, and he made the trip and is recovering at home.
The hospitalization followed a demanding performance at St. Louis’ Muny, where Richie was already taking steps to combat dehydration onstage. He repeatedly drank electrolyte drinks during the concert, at one point joking about the beverage: “I’m telling you, this stuff is nasty, but it works.”
Unlike his previous health scare in June, Richie completed the entire show without an intermission. During the finale, however, he asked his team to bring him a chair and finished “All Night Long” while seated.
The latest scare comes during a turbulent summer on the Sing a Song All Night Long tour with Earth, Wind & Fire. Richie was forced offstage during the tour opener in St. Paul, Minnesota, in June after becoming dizzy during “Dancing on the Ceiling.”
Even then, he tried to keep the mood light. “When you’re feeling dizzy, sit your ass down,” he told the crowd before later performing “Three Times a Lady.” Richie eventually left for an unscheduled intermission and was unable to return, resulting in two postponed concerts as he recovered.
When Richie made his comeback in Pittsburgh days later, he wasted little time addressing the concern. “Had you worried there for a minute, huh?” he joked with the audience.
He followed that with a more direct update in July, writing on Instagram, “Thank you for every message, every kind word, and for all your love. I’m doing well, and I’m grateful for all of you.”
Richie also has some breathing room before returning to work. His next scheduled concert isn't until Sept. 26 in San Francisco, giving him more than three weeks before he's due back onstage.
